Generalized linear and nonlinear viscoelastic earthquake motion simulations

ABSTRACT: The governing relations for nonlinear and linear viscoelastic vertical ground motions due to an earthquake are formulated. The boundaries of the ratio of vertical to horizontal motion velocity are investigated and it is shown that they lie in the range from 1.23 to 1.73 for all physical elastic and viscoelastic materials. Numerical simulations indicate that both response displacement and acceleration amplitudes and frequencies are afiected by viscoelastic properties of the medium. Since viscoelastic responses are accelerated in time by increases in temperature and moisture content, signiflcant damping efiects will be experienced in warm moist soils